Clothes rack



J. w. PARKS CLOTHES RACK Jan. 31, 1956 Filed June 19, 1952 4 1 Q Q 4 Mm \w a 4 4: 5 E11 :1 4 a x 4 a m a C L w m a v m3 4 0M. x H o \AU '1 M. ITII 11 n 5:.

IN V EN TOR. Josey/2 Wlasr'bs. BY

[[[S ATTORNEY CLOTHES RACK Joseph W. Parks, Altoona, Pa. Application June 19, 1952, Serial No. 294,468 2 Claims. Cl. 211-46 This invention relates to improvements in clothes racks and more particularly to clothes racks adapted for connection to folding type cots.

The folding type cot is usually utilized at times and in places where space is limited, for example, during emergencies wheredisplaced persons must be provided with beds, or in camping. Under such conditions, the storage United States, Patent of clothes presents a considerable problem. This invention contemplates the provision of a clothes rack which may be mounted upon a cot to provide for the necessary storage of personal belongings. A principal object of this invention is the provision of a new and improved clothes rack of this type. 9

Another object of this invention is to provide a clothes rack which may be quickly and easily assembled and disassembled.

Another object of this invention is to provide a clothes rack which, when disassembled, will occupy a minimum amount of space.

Another object'of this invention is to provide a simple clothes rack which may be secured to a wide variety of styles of cots.

Other objects and advantages will appear from the followingspecification taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. l is a side elevation of a clothes rack embodyin this invention;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the clothes rack shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view on an enlarged scale of a portion of the clothes rack shown in Figs. 1 and 2;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 with the parts thereof in a different position;

Fig. 5 is a view taken on the line V-V of Fig. 4; and

Fig. 6 is a plan view of a detail.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the clothes rack embodying this invention is shown as applied to a folding cot (shown in broken lines) and including the usual crossed legs 10, 12 and end crossbar 14.

The clothes rack is here shown as including a flat, elongated, generally rectangular base element 16 having an elongated boss 18 extending laterally from one edge thereof. The edge 20 of the boss 18 is parallel to the adjacent edge 22 of the base element 16 and is offset therefrom a distance approximately equal to the thickness of the average folding cot leg. Thus, when the edges 20, 22 of the base element 16 are placed in engagement with the legs 10, 12 of a cot as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the

base element 16 will be positioned substantially parallel 2,732,953 Patented Jan. 31,195

element 16 to abut the crossbar14 of the cot and carries clamping means adapted to engage the cot and hold the member 28 and associated element 16 firmly against, the same. The clamping means is preferably adjustable longitudinally of the member 28 and is here shown as comprising an elongated hook 30'having a. threaded end 32 extending slidably through an elongated aperture 34 formed in the member 28. The hook 30 is adapted to extend between the 1egs.10, 12 and engage the leg 12. A nut 36 is threaded on the end 32 of the hook 30 and may be drawn up to securely clamp the assembly of the element 16 and the member 28 to the cot. Interposed between the nut 36 and the member 28 is a suitable washer 38. v

It will be apparent that when the elements are as sembled as shown, tightening of the nut 36 will draw the member 28 up against the crossbar 14. Further tightening of the nut 36 will cause the member 28 to pivot slightly about the crossbar 14 to force the base element 16 firmly against the lower extremities of the legs 10, 12, the teeth 24 firmly engaging the same. A'rela tively rigid structure is thereby provided.

To accommodate articles of apparel or the like which are to be hung from the vertical member 28, a plurality of hooks 40 may extend laterally from the edges thereof and a plurality'of spaced transversely extending apertures 42 may be formed therein. The hooks 40 preferably lie in the plane of the member 28, however means is also provided to form a plurality of projections extending sub-v stantially normal to the plane of the member 28.

This means is here shown as comprising an elongated tangular notch 50; the shaft 46 has the ends thereof embedded in the member 28 and extends across the recess 48, bisecting the notch 50. A coil spring 52 carried on the shaft 46 acts between the arm 44 and the member 28 to bias the arm 44 toward that edge of the recess 48 which contains the notch 50.

When the arm 44 is disposed in the plane of the member 28, a pair of spaced bosses 54 formed on one edge of the recess 48 cooperate with suitable recesses 55 formed in the arm 44 to maintain the arm 44 in such position.

When it is desired to position the arm 44 normal to the plane of the member 28 as shown in Fig. 5, the arm 44 is manually manipulated to rotate the same about the shaft 46. Upon such rotation of the arm 44, the arm will ride up on the bosses 54 slightly compressing the spring 52 until the arm 44 is free of the bosses 54. Further rotation of the arm 44 will bring the same into registry with the notch 50 and the spring 52 will move the arm 44 to the left as viewed in the drawings and into the notch 50 to the position shown in Fig. 4. The arm 44 is thus eflectively locked in the position shown in Fig. 5.

When it is desired to return the arm 44 to its initial position in the plane of the member 28, the arm 44 is moved to the right as viewed in Fig. 4 against the bias of the spring 52 until it is in registry with the aperture 48. The arm 44 may then be rotated about the shaft 46 until it engages the bosses 54. Further rotation of the arm 44 will cause the same to ride up over the bosses 54 slightly compressing the spring 52 until the bosses 54 drop into the recesses in the arm 44 to effectively lock the arm 44 in position in the plane of the member 28.

When it is desired to disassemble and store the clothes rack, the arm 44 is positioned within the aperture 48 and lies in the plane of the member 28 as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. The nut 36 is then loosened and the hook 30 withdrawn from the slot 34. The member 28 may then be lifted out of the base element 16 and the 'unit is ready for storage.

It is to be'noted that when disassembled, the clothes rack consists merely of elongated, flat parts which may be convenientlystacked for storage in much the manner of ordinary lumber. r 1

"Although the clothes Track of this invention has been shown and described as applied to a'iolding cot wherein the legs 10, '12 thereof lie .in different 'planes, attention is directed to fhefact that the apparatus Qmay be equally well app'lied'to the cot having the legs thereof disposed in a single plane. To secure the clothes rack to such a cot,fit is merely necessary toreverse the base element 16 so that the straight edge 58 thereof, which is .disposed opposite the edgeslil, 22., is .in engagement with the lower extremities of the .legs of the cot.

It will .be' apparent from the foregoing that the illustrated embodiment provides a clothes rack which may be easily and quickly secured to a .cot and which'is'particularly adapted to simplified storage. It will also be .apparent to those skilled in the art that the illustrated em It 'isc'laimed and desired to secure 'by Letters Patent: 1. A clothes rack comprising a fiat elongated base element, a'fiat elongated member connected to said base element and standing in a plane substantially normal to the plane of said base element, said member having an elongated recess formed therein with a notch formed in the edge of said recess, an arm pivotally mounted in said recess, and means for biasing said arm into said notch when said arm is rotated to register with said notch to thereby position said arm substantially normal to said member, and clamping means on said member for clamping the same to asupporting structure.

2. A clothes rack as claimed in claim 1 wherein said clamping means is adjustable vertically of said member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Fought, Jr. H... Nov. 16, 1948 

